Habs Looking to Bounce Back After Loss vs. Rangers

The Habs won all four meetings last year, which included the famous Patrik Laine hat trick game in a 6-1 victory over the Sabres. Laine and Kirby Dach won’t play tonight for the second game in a row, as both are listed day-to-day with a lower-body injury. Both players have had a tough start to the regular season, but for Dach, it is mainly about load management so that he can get back to his peak form. It will be interesting to see if he or Laine gets back into the lineup later in the week, when the Habs are on their Western Canada road trip starting against the Calgary Flames on Wednesday.

Head coach Martin St. Louis announced that Jakub Dobes will get the start against the Sabres tonight. This news comes after Sam Montembeault’s tough outing against the Rangers on Saturday, while Dobes was solid in both of his starts this year.

Aside from Dobes being in net instead of Montembeault from Saturday’s game, it will be the exact same lineup and lines against the Sabres.

As mentioned earlier, the Canadiens have won four straight games against the Sabres and are listed as -150 home favorites, which would still be good odds to bet on. However, there may be even better odds if you take the spread to have the Habs win by 2+ goals. Last year, the Habs won three of the four meetings by two or more goals. The odds for the Habs to win on the spread are set at +155, which means a $100 bet will win you $155 if it hits. Can the Canadiens continue to dominate against the Sabres this season?

Looking at player props, Nick Suzuki would be a great bet to get 2+ points after he torched the Sabres with three goals and 11 points in four games against them last season, playing a massive part in their wins. Since Suzuki finally got his first goal of the season, the floodgates may open, and he could have a massive night in both the goal and assist areas of the game. He is listed at +180 to score 2+ points tonight. Go to your favorite sportsbook to place your bets for tonight’s game before the puck drops at 7:30 PM ET.

In terms of players the Canadiens will need to watch out for, Tage Thompson is at the top of the list. Thompson may not be leading the Sabres in goals and points, but he has always been dangerous in games against the Habs. He has 9 goals and 16 points in 16 career games against the Canadiens. Meanwhile, defenseman Rasmus Dahlin is always a player to keep a close eye on, with his amazing skating and excellent hockey IQ.

On paper, this game should go in the Canadiens’ favor, but they can’t take the Sabres lightly if they want to win, as they have dangerous players who can capitalize on mistakes like Thompson or Dahlin.

Do you think the Habs will bounce back tonight with a victory before heading west?